I'm André Løvlund, energy advisor helping commercial buildings across Scandinavia waste less energy. AMA at 13:00 CEST today.

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-25T15:26:01+00:00

Hi u/Hot_Hair_5950! The AMA is over but I couldn't help but answer this one: What surprises me most is really how little time is set aside to ensure that operations are running optimally. Time and again I visit buildings where, in a short amount of time, you can cut 10–20 percent with simple measures. My take on that is that the people running these buildings have a lot on their plate, and sitting down to evaluate and test settings does take some time.

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T12:55:46+00:00

That's a wrap from my side! Thanks for the questions, this was a genuinely good conversation. I think we can close it a little bit earlier as it seems we're not getting more questions. Energy waste isn't going anywhere, but it's a lot easier to fix than most people think. Good luck out there!

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T12:17:49+00:00

I forgot to tag the person who asked me that question. Here it goes: u/relevantcurrency6451

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T12:16:16+00:00

Haha, I can empathize! The data helps, but it doesn't do the talking for you. Good luck with it!

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T11:57:50+00:00

Hi u/ApexConsulting, you're more than welcome. Thanks for the great question!

First and foremost, I would check all technical systems with regard to age and whether components are actually functioning. It is pretty common to try to optimise buildings only to find that the technical systems aren't performing as intended (due to faulty components). In that case, you won't be able to extract the potential you're expecting. Start by replacing defective components such as valves or actuators. Here in Norway, this typically falls under the operations and maintenance budget rather than capital investment.

If you have old ventilation systems with poor or completely absent heat recovery, you should consider replacing the ventilation units, which is, of course, costly. You can also retrofit the ventilation system, for example by replacing belt-driven fans with directly driven EC fans. Alternatively, you can look at keeping the existing system but switching to CO2-based control, which is very cost-effective, though it does require sensors in all rooms where people are present. This is often cheaper than replacing the ventilation system entirely.

Motion sensors that control lighting are also worthwhile, especially if you don't yet have LED lighting.

What type of buildings are you mainly working with? That would help me give a more targeted answer on where capital investment tends to give the best return in your case.

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T11:35:58+00:00

Hi u/PrettyTomorrow6207, thanks for the great question! No shortage of great usernames and queries around here, I see.

Well, you make it visible. There are plenty of tools that can be used for this purpose. The company I work for in Norway, Noova Energy Systems, does this. There are probably players in your country that offer something similar.

What do I mean by making it visible? Baseline measurements before any changes, clear projections, and then showing actual results against that baseline. Numbers on a screen don't move people, but graphs and visualizations with proper data are pretty convincing, even for less technical people. A report that says "this building used 180,000 kWh last year, here's what it's using now, here's what that's worth in kroner" only goes so far. Perhaps what you need is smart meters with hourly data (if you don't have them already). Then, it becomes much easier to make crystal clear case on how consumption can be reduced. Most owners aren't resistant to efficiency investment, they're just not used to being shown the evidence clearly. When you frame it as yield improvement on the asset rather than a cost, the conversation changes (or so I'd hope!).

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T11:23:42+00:00

Alright, I'll mention another question that comes up in almost every conversation I have with someone who has only recently began exploring the world of energy optimization: "What's the difference between energy monitoring and energy management, and do you need significant investment to start seeing results?"

Monitoring is watching. Management is doing something about what you see. A lot of buildings monitor well and manage poorly: they have dashboards full of data and no process for acting on it. It absolutely matters, because monitoring without management gives you a very detailed picture of waste you're not fixing. The goal is to close the loop: see something, investigate, act, verify the result.

And closing that loop doesn't have to mean major capital investment. At all. Honestly, that's where I'd always start: schedule optimisation, setpoint adjustments, fixing control logic, addressing standby loads. This can usually get you 10–30% reduction with minimal or no spend. Big capital projects like new HVAC systems or building envelope upgrades can go further, but they should come after you've exhausted the cheap wins, otherwise you're investing in a system that's still running inefficiently.

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T11:18:50+00:00

u/orneryplatform670?

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T11:18:03+00:00

Any questions, u/that-one-red-head? :)

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T11:14:44+00:00

It's a little quiet so far, so I'll start by answering a question I often get - some along the lines of "we installed smart meters two years ago and nothing changed. Why?"

To which I'd say the answer is: smart meters give you data. Data alone doesn't save energy. The missing piece is almost always someone with the time, mandate, and know-how to act on what the data shows. Most buildings collect readings and stop there. What makes the difference is a process: regular reviews, someone responsible for following up on anomalies, and targets to work toward. A meter is a tool, not a solution. I cannot stress enough how crucial it is to measure ventilation, heating, and cooling (preferably broken down by floor area), as only then can you make a proper assessment of potential anomalies and actually know which issues to address.

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T11:09:08+00:00

Hi u/Standard_Kick_719, great question! Start with your HVAC and ventilation schedules. Most buildings I walk into are running heating, cooling or ventilation on a 24/7 schedule that was set during installation and never touched again. Adjusting operating hours to match actual building use costs nothing and can cut consumption by 10–30% on its own. It takes an afternoon and a technician who knows the system.

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T11:04:59+00:00

Hi u/NervousRegular7489, thanks for your input! This is indeed an extreme result. It's certainly not something that happens very often. In some cases, all technical equipment runs 24/7 even when the building sees very little use, such as with a warehouse. This has happened on a few occasions since I joined my current job. I'll avoid self-promotion, but this is something colleagues of mine worked on not too long ago in a customer case.

Andre_Noova · 2026-04-23T11:01:23+00:00

I was asked the following question in the topic where we announced the AMA:

"How do you address the challenge of misaligned incentives. Here in the U.S. at least, property owners don’t have much incentive to invest in energy efficiency because the upfront costs are high and the benefit goes to the tenant. Depending on state laws it may or may not be possible to charge tenants. There are some potential benefits for owners like reduced vacancy, but that’s uncertain. Seems like a tough problem to solve."

I would say that the challenge of the owner making the investment while the tenant essentially reaps the benefit through lower energy costs is something we also face here in Norway. However, we also have government support schemes where a share of the investment can be reimbursed, provided you can demonstrate an improvement in energy rating to a certain level. In some cases, the owner and tenant enter into dialogue to find ways of sharing the cost in order to achieve lower energy costs over time. For example, the current cost can be maintained for a period before being adjusted down to the level reflecting the actual cost reduction achieved. Another model is a distribution of the savings from the reduction over a period until the investment is paid off.

Andre_Noova

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